Lewis Hamilton takes POLE at US Grand Prix – Vettel starts 2nd

Lewis Hamilton has taken pole position for the 2017 US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, with Vettel staring second for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton has been on a roll of late – helped by issues at Ferrari – and his 72nd pole at the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the America’s in Austin is, perhaps, the final piece of the puzzle that is the driver’s title.

Hamilton set the fastest ever time round the track to take pole, beating Sebastian Vettel – the only man who can now deny the Brit his fourth world title – in to second place on the grid.

Assuming Hamilton can turn the advantage of pole in to a win, Vettel will need to finish in the top five to stop Hamilton being crowned champion. And with Vettel, and Ferrari’s, recent lucky that is by no means a certainty.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for Hamilton and Mercedes after facing a 25 point deficit to Vettel after Monaco. and turning that in to a 59 point lead going in to the US Grand Prix.

Behind Hamilton and Vettel on the grid later today will be Bottas in third alongside Ricciardo in the Red Bull, with Raikkonen on row three alongside Ocon in the Force India.

Beyond that it starts to get a bit more complicated after a raft of teams take penalties for various reasons, so row four is Sainz in the Renault and Alonso in the McLaren with Perez in ninth and Masa in tenth.

The drivers taking penalties include Verstappen on a 15 place penalty, Hulkenberg (20 places), Vandoorne (five places) and Hartley – Toro Rosso’s new boy – on 25 places.

Will the title race be all over today? It’s certainly possible.